Editing Techniques - Psycho

Pyscho - The Famous Shower Scene

Many different editing techniques are used in this famous scene. The first of which is an eye line match of the piece of paper Marion was looking at. As she walks into the bathroom there’s a series of close ups, one of the toilet, the door as she’s closing it, her back and finally legs as she gets into the shower. After she begins to wash, another eye line match is used, this time showing the shower head, that Marion is using. This section of the scene is all shot in low speed, as although there are quite a few cuts they are all quite far apart and all slow paced.

As the man opens the shower curtain the scene immediately turns into high speed, the first main editing technique used here is a shot reverse shot on the man and Marion. These are used continuously throughout the rest of scene, to show the action and the reaction of the man continuing to stab Marion. There is also a large amount of close-ups used here, showing all the different parts of her body while she is being stabbed. The sound here is synchronized with the action of the stabbing and her screaming. After she had been stabbed, the scene cuts back to low speed and then moves in on a close-up on the drain, with her blood pouring in. The scene then fades to her eye and zooms out.